Even heating microwavable container

Abstract

A construct for heating a food item in a microwave oven includes a base, a wall extending upwardly from the base, a microwave energy shielding element overlying at least a portion of the wall, and a microwave energy diffusing element circumscribed by the microwave energy shielding element. The microwave energy diffusing element includes a plurality of microwave energy reflective elements within a microwave energy transparent area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A microwave heating construct, comprising:
 a base; and 
 an upstanding wall, wherein the wall comprises
 a microwave energy shielding element, and 
 a plurality of microwave energy diffuser elements, wherein each of the microwave energy diffuser elements comprises
 a microwave energy transparent area circumscribed by the microwave energy shielding element, and 
 a plurality of microwave energy reflective elements spaced apart from one another and positioned in the microwave energy transparent area, 
 
 
 wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements, the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element is contiguous with and surrounds each of the microwave energy reflective elements of the microwave energy diffuser element. 
 
     
     
       2. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy transparent areas and the microwave energy reflective elements each have a shape independently selected from the group of shapes consisting of a regular shape and an irregular shape. 
     
     
       3. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy transparent areas are substantially elliptical in shape. 
     
     
       4. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy reflective elements each independently have a hexagonal shape or a partial hexagonal shape. 
     
     
       5. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged in a staggered configuration within the microwave energy transparent area of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element. 
     
     
       6. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are spaced a distance of from about 1 to about 5 mm from one another. 
     
     
       7. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged so that each microwave energy reflective element is spaced about the same distance from an adjacent microwave energy reflective element. 
     
     
       8. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the microwave energy reflective elements of the microwave energy diffuser element are configured to be operative for decreasing the intensity of microwave energy passing through the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element. 
     
     
       9. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein the microwave energy shielding element extends substantially continuously from the wall onto a peripheral margin of the base. 
     
     
       10. The construct of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a plurality of metallic segments arranged to define a plurality of interconnected rings. 
     
     
       11. The construct of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of metallic segments arranged to define the plurality of interconnected rings is operative for directing microwave energy toward a center of the base. 
     
     
       12. A microwave heating construct, comprising:
 a base; and 
 a plurality of walls, wherein the walls comprise
 a substrate, 
 a microwave energy shielding element mounted to the substrate and comprising a metallic foil patch operative for reflecting microwave energy, wherein the metallic foil patch includes a plurality of apertures, and each aperture defines a microwave energy transparent area surrounded by the metallic foil, and 
 a plurality of microwave energy diffuser elements, wherein each of the microwave energy diffuser elements comprises
 the microwave energy transparent area defined by a respective aperture of the plurality of apertures in the metallic foil patch, and 
 a plurality of metallic foil elements mounted to the substrate, wherein the metallic foil elements are spaced apart from one another and positioned in the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element, 
 
 
 wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements, the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element is contiguous with and circumscribes each of the metallic foil elements of the microwave energy diffuser element. 
 
     
     
       13. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein the metallic foil elements have a hexagonal shape, a partial hexagonal shape, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       14. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are spaced about 1 to about 5 mm from one another within the microwave energy transparent area of the least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements. 
     
     
       15. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein
 the plurality of walls includes a first pair of walls opposite one another and a second pair of walls opposite one another, 
 each wall of the first pair of walls includes three apertures of the plurality of apertures, and 
 each wall of the second pair of walls includes four apertures of the plurality of apertures. 
 
     
     
       16. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein
 the plurality of walls each independently have a height and a width, and 
 the apertures are substantially evenly spaced along the height and width of the respective wall. 
 
     
     
       17. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein the metallic foil patch extends substantially continuously from the plurality of walls onto a peripheral area of the base. 
     
     
       18. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein the base includes a plurality of metallic segments arranged as a plurality of interconnected rings. 
     
     
       19. The construct of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of interconnected rings is operative for directing microwave energy toward a center of the base. 
     
     
       20. The construct of  claim 12 , further comprising a susceptor. 
     
     
       21. The construct of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises paperboard. 
     
     
       22. A blank for forming a microwave heating construct, the blank comprising:
 a peripheral region being substantially transparent to microwave energy; 
 a medial region bounded by the peripheral region; and 
 a central region bounded by the medial region, 
 wherein the medial region comprises
 a microwave energy shielding element comprising a metallic foil patch operative for reflecting microwave energy, wherein the metallic foil patch circumscribes apertures that define microwave energy transparent areas, and 
 a plurality of microwave energy diffuser elements, wherein each of the microwave energy diffuser elements comprises
 the microwave energy transparent area defined by a respective aperture of the apertures circumscribed by the metallic foil patch, and 
 a plurality of metallic foil elements spaced apart from one another and positioned in the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element, 
 
 
 wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements, the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element is contiguous with and extends around each of the metallic foil elements of the microwave energy diffuser element. 
 
     
     
       23. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the microwave energy transparent areas and the metallic foil elements each have a shape independently selected from the group of shapes consisting of a regular shape and an irregular shape. 
     
     
       24. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the microwave energy transparent areas are substantially elliptical in shape. 
     
     
       25. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the microwave energy reflective elements are each independently shaped as a hexagon or a truncated hexagon. 
     
     
       26. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged in a staggered configuration within the microwave energy transparent area of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element. 
     
     
       27. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are spaced a distance of from about 1 to about 5 mm from one another. 
     
     
       28. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein for at least one of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the at least one microwave energy diffuser element are arranged so that each metallic foil element is spaced about the same distance from an adjacent metallic foil element. 
     
     
       29. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein for each of the microwave energy diffuser elements: the metallic foil elements of the microwave energy diffuser element are for reducing the intensity of microwave energy passing through the microwave energy transparent area of the microwave energy diffuser element. 
     
     
       30. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein
 the metallic foil patch has an inner edge and an outer edge, and 
 the microwave energy transparent areas are each positioned substantially equidistant from the inner edge and the outer edge of the metallic foil patch. 
 
     
     
       31. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the central region comprises a microwave energy directing element including a plurality of metallic segments that define a plurality of interconnected rings. 
     
     
       32. The blank of  claim 22 , further comprising a susceptor. 
     
     
       33. The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate comprises paperboard.